10-Year Production Trajectory: Rising Stars & Fading Producers
EU-27 fig output swung from a decade low of 72.1 thousand tonnes in 2017 to a peak of 106.2 thousand tonnes in 2020, closing at 101.3 thousand tonnes in 2025. Five of the eight top producers recorded ascending trajectories, while two declined sharply and one held stable.
Spain, the bloc's dominant fig grower, expanded output from 45.7 thousand tonnes in 2016 to 67.4 thousand tonnes in 2025 (a 4.4% CAGR, +21.7 thousand tonnes net, +47.4%). Its 2016 value carries a break-in-series (b) flag, and production ranged from a low of 36.4 thousand tonnes in 2017 to a high of 67.4 thousand tonnes in 2025, demonstrating sustained upward momentum. Spain accounted for roughly half of all EU fig output in every year of the decade.
France was the standout growth story in proportional terms. Starting from just 3.3 thousand tonnes in 2016, it expanded to 7.8 thousand tonnes by 2025 (a 10.1% CAGR, +4.5 thousand tonnes net, +137.6%). Its 2020 value carries a break-in-series (b) flag, reflecting a structural data revision. Italy also rose, albeit more modestly, from 11.3 thousand tonnes in 2016 to 13.3 thousand tonnes in 2025 (a 1.84% CAGR, +2.0 thousand tonnes net, +17.9%). Portugal inched upward (a 2.42% CAGR, +0.8 thousand tonnes net), with its 2025 figure flagged provisional (p).
At the other end, Greece — the second-largest cumulative producer of the decade — saw output collapse from 14.6 thousand tonnes in 2016 to just 7.3 thousand tonnes in 2025 (a -7.37% CAGR, -7.3 thousand tonnes net, -49.8%). All Greek values carry an estimated (e) flag. Cyprus fell even more steeply, declining from 3.2 thousand tonnes in 2016 to 0.8 thousand tonnes in 2025 (a -13.76% CAGR, -2.4 thousand tonnes net, -73.6%), with both 2024 and 2025 values provisional (p). Croatia rose slightly (+0.1 thousand tonnes net, +1.38% CAGR), while Slovenia held essentially flat at less than 0.1 thousand tonnes throughout.
All values in 1 000 t. b = break in series, e = estimated, p = provisional.
| Country | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | CAGR | Net Change (1 000 t) | Trajectory |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spain | 45.7b | 36.4 | 47.8 | 51.6 | 59.9 | 60.2 | 43.5 | 39.6 | 55.4 | 67.4 | +4.40% | +21.7 | Ascending |
| Greece | 14.6e | 13.7e | 16.0e | 19.7e | 19.8e | 7.5e | 8.4e | 8.4e | 8.5e | 7.3e | -7.37% | -7.3 | Declining |
| Italy | 11.3 | 11.3 | 10.7 | 11.8 | 12.2 | 12.8 | 9.5 | 13.0 | 12.9 | 13.3 | +1.84% | +2.0 | Ascending |
| France | 3.3 | 3.6 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 7.2b | 6.4 | 6.9 | 7.2 | 7.5 | 7.8 | +10.09% | +4.5 | Ascending |
| Portugal | 3.2 | 3.4 | 3.7 | 4.6 | 4.4 | 5.0 | 3.1 | 3.7 | 3.9 | 3.9p | +2.42% | +0.8 | Ascending |
| Cyprus | 3.2 | 3.0 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 0.9 | 0.9p | 0.8p | -13.76% | -2.4 | Declining |
| Croatia | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 0.7 | +1.38% | +0.1 | Ascending |
| Slovenia | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.00% | 0.0 | Stable |
| EU-27 | 82.1 | 72.1 | 83.8 | 93.7 | 106.2 | 94.0 | 73.7 | 74.0 | 90.0 | 101.3 | +2.36% | +19.2 | Ascending |
Supply Stability Scorecard: Reliability Rankings
Volume leadership and supply stability are held by different countries in the EU fig market. Ranking the top eight producers by coefficient of variation (CV) — where a lower CV means steadier year-to-year output — shows that the most reliable supplier is not the largest producer.
Italy is the single most stable fig supplier of the decade (CV 9.7%, max single-year drop of -25.7%), delivering the strongest reliability among producers with meaningful volume. Its mean output of 11.87 thousand tonnes places it third by volume, but first by predictability. Croatia follows closely (CV 11.2%, drawdown -21.3%), though its modest output of less than 1 thousand tonnes makes it a supplementary source. Portugal rounds out the dependable tier (CV 15.0%), pairing rising volume with moderate stability. Spain, by far the largest producer at a mean of 50.75 thousand tonnes, ranks only fourth for stability (CV 18.6%, max drawdown -27.7%) — meaning a buyer reliant on Spanish figs alone would have experienced single-year swings of over one quarter of supply.
At the volatile end, France (CV 33.2%) saw output quadruple over the decade but swung widely year to year, with its 2020 break-in-series flag adding uncertainty. Greece (CV 38.3%, max drawdown -62.3%) and Cyprus (CV 51.6%, max drawdown -54.6%) are the least dependable of the top eight, their extreme CV values reflecting the sharp production declines documented above.
CV < 10% = Very stable; CV 10–20% = Moderately stable; CV > 20% = Volatile.
| Country | Mean (1 000 t) | CV% | Max Drawdown% | Years Below Mean | Stability Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Italy | 11.87 | 9.67% | -25.71% | 5 | 1 |
| Croatia | 0.77 | 11.19% | -21.28% | 4 | 2 |
| Portugal | 3.90 | 14.96% | -37.20% | 5 | 3 |
| Spain | 50.75 | 18.57% | -27.73% | 5 | 4 |
| France | 5.65 | 33.21% | -10.18% | 4 | 5 |
| Slovenia | 0.07 | 38.03% | -61.54% | 6 | 6 |
| Greece | 12.40 | 38.30% | -62.30% | 5 | 7 |
| Cyprus | 1.57 | 51.57% | -54.58% | 6 | 8 |
Land Allocation Shift: 10-Year Cropland Transformation
EU-27 harvested fig area contracted from 23.7 thousand hectares in 2016 to 21.4 thousand hectares in 2025 — a net loss of 2.3 thousand hectares (-9.7%, a -1.13% annualised rate). Because production rose over the same period while area shrank, implied EU-27 yields improved from roughly 3.5 t/ha in 2016 to 4.7 t/ha in 2025, signalling significant efficiency gains across the sector.
Spain, the dominant area holder, held broadly stable at 12.6–13.0 thousand hectares (+0.4 thousand hectares net, +0.31%/yr), anchoring roughly 60% of total EU fig land. Because Spanish output grew far faster (+4.4% CAGR) than its area, implied yield gains were concentrated in Spain. Portugal and Italy both contracted modestly: Portugal shed 0.3 thousand hectares (-7.8%, -0.90%/yr) and Italy shed 0.3 thousand hectares (-13.4%, -1.58%/yr). Greece's acreage collapsed from 3.8 thousand hectares to 1.1 thousand hectares (-2.6 thousand hectares, -69.7%, -12.41%/yr), the single largest proportional land retreat in the cohort. All Greek acreage carries estimated (e) flags.
France doubled its fig acreage from 0.4 to 0.8 thousand hectares (+0.4 thousand hectares, +118.4%, +9.07%/yr), mirroring its production surge. Its 2020 value carries a break-in-series (b) flag. Among the smallest growers, Croatia added 0.1 thousand hectares (+22.9%, +2.31%/yr) and Cyprus doubled its tiny area from 0.1 to 0.2 thousand hectares (+80.0%, +6.75%/yr). Comparing production CAGR against area growth rate reveals that in every expanding country except Croatia, output growth outpaced area expansion, pointing to yield-driven gains rather than pure extensification.
All values in 1 000 ha. b = break in series, e = estimated, p = provisional.
| Country | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Net Change (1 000 ha) | Growth Rate | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spain | 12.6 | 13.6 | 14.0 | 10.8 | 11.8 | 12.9 | 13.4 | 12.0 | 12.9 | 13.0 | +0.4 | +0.31% | Stable |
| Portugal | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 3.8p | -0.3 | -0.90% | Contracting |
| Greece | 3.8e | 3.8e | 3.8e | 4.0e | 4.4e | 1.1e | 1.4e | 1.1e | 1.4e | 1.1e | -2.6 | -12.41% | Contracting |
| Italy | 2.4 | 2.3 | 2.2 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 1.5 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 2.1 | -0.3 | -1.58% | Contracting |
| France | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.8b | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.8 | +0.4 | +9.07% | Expanding |
| Croatia | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.4 | +0.1 | +2.31% | Expanding |
| Cyprus | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2p | 0.2p | +0.1 | +6.75% | Expanding |
| Slovenia | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | +12.98% | Expanding |
| EU-27 | 23.7 | 24.6 | 25.0 | 21.8 | 23.7 | 21.5 | 21.6 | 20.5 | 21.6 | 21.4 | -2.3 | -1.13% | Contracting |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which EU country had the fastest-growing fig production from 2016 to 2025?
France grew fastest in proportional terms among the top eight, with a 10.1% compound annual growth rate and a net gain of 4.5 thousand tonnes (+137.6%), more than doubling output from 3.3 to 7.8 thousand tonnes. Spain added the most absolute volume, rising by 21.7 thousand tonnes at a 4.4% CAGR. Greece recorded the sharpest decline among major producers (a -7.37% CAGR, -49.8% net).
Which country is the most stable fig supplier in the EU?
Italy is the most stable top producer, with the lowest coefficient of variation (9.7%) and a maximum single-year drop of -25.7%. Croatia ranked second (CV 11.2%) with a modest output of less than 1 thousand tonnes. Spain, the largest producer by volume, ranked fourth (CV 18.6%) with a max drawdown of -27.7%.
Is EU fig farmland expanding or shrinking?
EU-27 harvested fig area contracted by about 2.3 thousand hectares (-9.7%) between 2016 and 2025. Greece cut the most land (-2.6 thousand hectares, -69.7%), while France expanded (+0.4 thousand hectares, +118.4%), mirroring its production surge. Spain held broadly stable at around 13 thousand hectares while production rose sharply, indicative of yield-driven gains.
Source data extracted from Eurostat dataset apro_cpsh1.
This article was generated using AI. The data tables are sourced directly from Eurostat and are reproduced without interpretation. All statistics (CAGR, CV, max drawdown, stability rank) are computed deterministically from the source data. Human editorial review is recommended before publication.
